Surveying-instrument



W. L. CURTIS.

SURVEYING INSTRUMENT.

(ModeL) Patented Mar. 10, 1885.

INVENTORI WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Phnlo-Lilluograplwr. Washiuglon. o. c.

"Urvrrien STATES ATENT Orrres.

WILLIAM LEANDER CURTIS, OF FOREST GROVE, OREGON.

SURVEYING-INSTRUMENT.

$PBCIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,657, dated March10, 1885.

Application filed May 27, 1884. (Modem To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LEANDER CURTIS, of Forest Grove, in thecounty of \Vashington and State of Oregon, have invented a new andImproved Surveying-Instrument, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

My invention consists of a level and sightgage of novel contrivance,together with a variable angle-gage adapted for use as a surveyorslevel, and for determining angles in both vertical and horizontal planesand for measuring heights and distances, the whole being very simple andcheap, and also useful and reliable, as hereinafter fully described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved instrument. Fig. 2 is a topview, and Fig. 3

is a detail.

The letter a indicates a bar of wood similar to the bar of a carpenterslevel, but somewhat longer and larger, if desired, in which I arrange aspirit-level device, which I make of two vertical cups, a, set in theupper edge of the bar near each end, respectively, and projecting alittle above the surface, with a cap, I), screwed on the top to closethe same tightly with a flexible packing-disk, c, said cups beingconnected together by a tube, d, and being suitably charged with anysuitable subtile fluid for the purposes of a spirit-level.

For taking sight the caps are screwed off to enable the instrument to beadjusted by the liquid in the cups. The cups then form the sights. arescrewed on to retain the liquid.

For a simple means of connecting the cups a to the bar a, I prefer tofit them in a metal plate, Z, and screw the plate on the upper edge ofthe bar over a recess made in it to receive the lower portions of thecups and the connectingtube d.

On one side of the bar a, I pivot an anglegage bar, 6, at f, which isthe center of a quadrant, g, graduated to ninety degrees, and the gagehas an indexfinger, t, that plays along the quadrant to indicate theangle of the gage when turned on the pivot f. In the normal positionthis gage rests in brackets j,

Then sight has been taken, the caps 1 parallel with the cups 1) of thelevel, and said bar is provided with sight'points K. Thebar a, thuscontrived wit-h the level and the anglegage I pivot at the center to theside of a supporting-staff, 1, near the top by a pivot-bolt,

m, permanently fitted in the staff, and a clamping-nut, n, by which thebar may be made fast or slack, as required in use. The bar a is to beused on the pivot m to adjust the level and to fold up the instrumentwhen not in use. The rise or fall of the anglegage measures all verticalangles while the level remains at rest; but for horizontal angles anddistances I have provided a vertical pivot-stud, 0, and clamping-nutp011 the top of the staff, to which the bar may be shifted when required.The cupsights fulfill the same office when measuring horizontal angles,unless, when measuring the latter, it would not, in places, beconvenient I to reverse theanglegage, when that .mightserve to indicatethe baseline, and bar a move so that the cup-sights might cover thetarget or flag. This latter would also occur in the use of thetelescope, if it were attached to the bar a instead of the angle-gage.

To make an ornamental finish to the top of the staff when the bar a ismounted on the side pivot, I provide a globular knob, q, to take theplace of the bar on the pivot. baid knob may also be placed on the sidepivot, on, when the bar is located on the top.

For convenience in ascertaining the inclinations in feet and decimalsthereof of the angles of the gage-bar, I have attached the graduatedscale S tothe bar a, upon which is engraved in. feet and decimals therise or fall to each degree from zero to forty-five degrees on aunit-base of one hundred feet, whereon the inclination per hundred feetmay be read at once.

The instrument may have a telescope and compass attached, if desired,and it may also be attached to a surveyors compass.

The instrument may be made wholly of metal, except the staff, and indifferent sizes, as maybe required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1'. In a surveying-instrument, the combina tion, withthe grooved bar a, of the plate I, the cups a, provided with the caps 12and secured in the plate Z, and the tube d, conneoting thesaid cups,substantially as herein shown a spirit-level and pivoted to said stafi",of the and described.

2. In a'surveying-instrunient, the combination, with the staff 25, ofthe cups a, provided with the caps 12, and connected by the tube d andthe bar a, in which said cups and tube are secured, pivoted to saidstaff, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In asurveying-instrument, the combina- IO tion, with the staff 25 andthe bar a, carrying graduated quadrant g andthe angle-gagee, pivoted tothe bar a, and provided with the indexz' and the sight-points K,substantially as herein shown and described.

WILLIAM LEANDER CURTIS.

WVitnesses:

L. O. WALKER, BELLE P. WALKER.

